Tissot PRX Taps Into Its ‘70s Roots With Manga Collaboration

When Tissot relaunched the PRX collection 2020, it tapped into an important era in the brand’s history. In doing so, Tissot ignited the enthusiasm of a new generation of enthusiasts around a classic design language that was at the precipice of reemerging: that of the integrated-bracelet sport watch. The timing was perfect, and Tissot nailed the design of a modern PRX in a way that felt refreshing and relevant. The original PRX dates back to the late 1970s, several years after the high-end stalwarts defined the genre as we know it today, though it enjoys just as much relevance due to its far more approachable nature. This week, Tissot is embracing that status, and that era, with a crossover into manga pop culture with a new Grendizer U series watch. 

Manga culture encompasses a broad range of Japanese art and media through which a diverse array of characters and stories are brought to life. The style itself dates back to the early 20th century, but its impact on western culture as we know it is more recent. The UFO Robot Grendizer series originates in the ‘70s, where it enjoyed a short run in both written and animated form. The animated anime series ran from ‘75 to ‘77, but has recently made a comeback in the The Feast of the Wolves video game and in the Grendizer U: The Inception manga series and Grendizer U anime television series, both of which are still in production. As of this week, the famous Japanese robot legend will also appear on the dial of the new Special Edition Tissot PRX UFO Robot Grendizer.

The connection here is that the watch and the character are products of the same era, and as such embrace many of the same design and style cues of their respective cultures. The crossover between the two feels quite natural as a result, and is a celebration of the resurgence of this design style in modern execution. The result is the PRX we know and love with a heap of retro-futuristic nostalgia mixed in for good measure. 

This Tissot PRX ditches the model’s familiar dial textures to make way for a bust of Grendizer that’s been rendered in Super-LumiNova, because of course it has. The design dominates the dial and is visible in daylight thanks to the stroke thickness, as well as in low light conditions thanks to it being, well, lume. The yellow lume of the character contrasts with the green lume of the hands and hour markers, making for a suitably cyberpunk-esque vibe when brought together. Taking the motif even further is a special Japanese-writing UFO Robot Grendizer engraving on the slope of the rehaut that serves as a bit of an Easter egg. 

As interesting as the watch is, it may just take a back seat to the special box that’s been created for this special edition. “Container” might be a better word, actually, as it’s been modeled after the Spazer, which is Grendizer’s UFO flying saucer that enables him to fly at FTL speeds (though it is undoubtedly identified in the lore, so make of that what you will). The ship will be a showpiece for fans and enthusiasts of the manga, and shows a clear appreciation for the source material by Tissot. 

The rest of the watch itself will look familiar to fans of the PRX. This example uses the steel 40mm case and houses the Powermatic 80 caliber providing 80 hours of reserve. The movement is visible through an exhibition caseback, and the oscillating weight bears the same Grendizer imagery as seen on the dial. The watch will ship with the interchangeable steel bracelet, though I’d imagine some brightly colored strap options would also work well here.

The Tissot PRX UFO Robot Grendizer is a Special Edition which will be available as of today from select retailers at the price of $825.